Rural Delta counties have highest infant mortality rates in state, new report shows

Every region in Mississippi ranked higher in infant mortality than the national average of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the state’s 2021 Mississippi Infant Mortality Report released last week. This report comes one month after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data showing that Mississippi’s infant mortality rate reached a five-year high while the national rate remained relatively stable from 2020 to 2021. That report also showed that the state continues to lead the nation in babies who die before their first birthday.